India: Sponge iron producers’ body calls for increased NMDC ore availability

Highlighting the difficulties faced by Chhattisgarh-based sponge iron plants in procuring iron ore, the Chhattisgarh Sponge Iron Manufacturers Association has pitched for increasing iron ore availability from PSU miner NMDC. As per sources, appeals have been issued for two rakes of NMDC’s DR-CLO (sponge-grade iron ore lump) per plant to be made available to Chhattisgarh-based units every month as well as the need to modulate soaring ore prices. SteelMint data shows that NMDC dispatched only 11 rakes of iron ore to state-based units in the first week of May’21, while 14 rakes were dispatched in the second week.